Violacea Mentawai VS Violacea Sumatrana

[KC Kam]

Hi All,

I read some sources in the internet mentioning Phaleanopsis violacea has 3 types (Borneo, Malayan & Sumatra). But somehow alot of people mentioned about violacea sumatrana and mentawai.

Are they referring to the same species? If otherwise, what is the difference between these 2?

Im confused

Please enlighthen me

[naoki]

Recently, Olaf Gruss raised the one from Mentawai as a separate species (P. mentawaiensis, Die Orchidee 65(3): 238 - 239, 2014).

Here is the difference.

Similar Species and Species Complex of Phalaenopsis

I don't think P. violaceae is in Borneo, but P. bellina is in Borneo.

[KC Kam]

Hi Naoki,

Thank you very much for the information. I am clear about the Sumatra and Mentawai then but it create another question.

Does Violacea Sumatra refers to Violacea Malaya then? I was trying to create a clear cut understanding of the three type mentioned (Malaya, Sumatra and Mentawai). If Malaya are actually the same as sumatra then it explains it.

[naoki]

Well, P. violaceae occurs in both peninsula (e.g. Perak, Selangor, Malacca) and Sumatra island. So they are indicating where they were originated from. These are not officially described varieties or subspecies. But it is always have the locality information attached and keep them pure.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

I'm not entirely sure about their distributions, but this is what I understand. Phal. violacea var. sumatrana is the "standard" violacea. Phal. violacea var. borneo was reclassified to Phal. bellina decades ago. Phal. violacea var. mentawai is genetically and morphologically distinct from the standard form, thus the recent reclassification as it's own unique species.

[dangerouseddy]

I thought I read that the mentawai var flowered more than the standard var. I could be wrong though.